Variable gas-port for gas-engines



v C. H. SHEASLEY.

VARIABLE GAS PORT FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION HLED AUG-31.1916.

1 27,927. 1 Patented J an. 13, 1920.

CHARLES H.5HEASLEY ATTORNEY CHARLES H. SHEASLEY, OE FRANKLIN, BENNSYLVANI A.

VARIABLE GAS-PORT FOR GAS-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 13, 1926).

Application filed August 31, 1916. Serial No. 117,927.

To all whom-it-mag concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. SHEAS- my, a citizen of the United States, residing at Franklin, in the county of Venangoand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable Gas-Ports for Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The objects and utility, together with one form of mechanical embodiment of my inventive idea, are herein set forth with suffi cient clearness, to enable those skilled in the art of constructing and operating internal combustion motors, to make and use the same.

The primary object of this invention is, to prevent back-fire in a gas engine, and more particularly in an engine of the two-stroke cycle type. An additional object is to increase the efficiency of such engines and to promote the economical consumption of gas thereby.

One form of construction whereby my inventive idea is practically embodied, is shown in the drawings which form a part hereof, the figures of which are as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a gas engine cylinder equipped in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line II-II of Fig. 1.

The variable gas port of the present invention is designed to be employed in the type of engine wherein the mixture of fuel and air, to form the fuel charge, takes place within the engine cylinder, as the pump chamber of a two-stroke'cycle engine, and wherein a governor-operated valve is interposed in the gas supply conduit, said variable gas port being positioned between said governor-operated valve and the engine cylinder to vary the effective area of the passage through which the gas is conveyed to said engine cylinder. This variable gas port may be provided in a variety of ways; in the form shown on the drawings.

The cylinder 1 of a gas engine, and more particularly the wall of the pump-chamber of a two-stroke cycle engine, is provided with a gas-inlet port 2, for the admission of fuel-gas to said cylinder. I provide a cap 3' for said port which has, adjustably mounted in the chamber thereof, a disk 1 which is positioned in alinement with said port 2.

Said disk is secured to the inner end of the screw-threaded stem 5, that is manually operable to adjust said disk 4 to vary the effective aperture or area of said port :2. En tering said chamber 6 of said cap is a gas duct or inlet pipe 7, through which fuel gas is supplied to the engine Interposed in said pipe or duct 7 is a governor-operated valve 8 of the throttling type, arranged to govern the supply of gas passing through said duct'7. Y

The essential feature of my inventive idea, is a device, such as 4",; shown in Fig. 2, that is adapted and arranged to vary the effective area or aperture of the gas-inlet of a gas engine, when used in conjunction with P and interposed between said governor-operated valve and the engine cylinder.

It is a well-known fact that gas varies considerably in its constituent elements, and that certain fuel gases are much higher in thermal value than others; this is especially true in the case of natural gas that is found in different localities, and often from wells that are found comparatively near to each other. Pennsylvania natural gas averages closely to 900 British thermal units per cubic foot while much of the Vest Virginia gas averages above 1100 B. T. U. per cubic foot. On the other hand, some of the Kansas natural gas is as low in heat units as 160 B. T. U. per cubic foot. As for artificial gas, this varies anywhere from 800 B. T. U. down to less than 100 B. T. U. per cubic foot, depending upon the method of its production and the material from which it is produced.

I have found it to be a diflicult matter to properly govern the supply of these variously-constituted fuel gases to a gas engine, especially with reference to preventing backfire, also with reference to securing the greatest efficiency and most economical consumption of gas.

The throttling type of governor is largely employed for the purpose of regulating the supply of gas to gas engines, but I have found that, on account of the varying composition of gases, as above stated, some de-- vice supplementary to such a governor is necessary in order to obtain the best results.

l have discovered that a variation of the effective aperture or area of the gas-inlet port to the cylinder of the engine, will not only prevent back-fire, but it also secures a much more economical consumption of fuel.

With the construction which I have shown in the drawings, the disk 4 is adjusted by means of the hand-wheel 9 so that the area of the passage through which the gas enters into the cylinder may be varied at will, and as the nature and composition of the gas may require, and when such adjustment is properly made for the particular grade or quality of gas that is being used, back-fir is prevented, and a more economical consumption of gas is secured.

While I have formulated certain theories to account for said results, they are, like many other theories, more or less conj ectural, but one of them, at least, appears to be well substantiated by the results which I have obtained by extended use and observation of my invention in actual practice: It is a fact that there is more or less leakage of gas through the governor valve proper at nearly all times, even at intervals between the suction strokes of the engine; also at times when the governor valve should be effectually closed by the action of the fly-balls or other centrifugal elements of the governor; this leakage of gas finds its way into the cylinder, and is suflicient and of such a nature as to cause back-fire, and also causes Waste of the gas; in other words such leakage causes lean mixtures of fuel in the combustion chamber, and it is a Well recog nized fact that the so-called lean mixtures are largely responsible for back-fire.

With my variable gas-port I provide a supplemental controlling element for regulating the flow of gas, so that I am able to prevent the gas due to said leakage from entering the cylinder of the engine in such quantity or under such conditions as to cause back-fire, or, at any rate, I do prevent the undesirable result mentioned, and do secure the desirable results set forth. Furthermore, and with reference to the thermal value of the gas, the throttling governor cannot be regulated to a sufficiently accurate degree to provide for the variations of the gas in thls respect, but, by supplementing such governor with my port-varying device a sufliciently accurate regulation is provided ually operable to vary the effective area of said port, a gas-supply duct leading to said port, and a governor of the throttling type, arranged to regulate the supply of gas passing to said port.

3. In a gas engine, a gas-supply duct arranged to supply gas to the cylinder of such engine, a governor of the throttling type arranged to control the supply of gas passing through said duct, and manually adjustable means positioned between said governor and said cylinder arranged to vary the effective area of said duct.

t. In a gas engine of the two-stroke cycle type, a cylinder having a pump-chamber therein, a gas-supply port communicating with said chamber, manually adjustable means adapted to vary the effective area of said port, a gas-supply duct communicating with said port, and a governor of the throttling type arranged to govern the supply of gas passing through said duct.

5. In a gas engine, a gas-supply conduit arranged to supply gas to the cylinder of said engine, a governor-operated valve in said conduit for regulating the flow of gas therethrough, and a member in said conduit between said governor-operated valve and the engine cylinder for reducing the effective area of the passage through which the gas flows from said governor-operated valve to said engine cylinder.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. SHEASLEY.

Witnesses:

MARY B. ECKERT, E. R. INMAN. 

